1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to electronic circuits and systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to media alert systems.
2. Background Art
Mobile phones and other devices are a ubiquitous part of modern life, allowing people to stay organized and connected with colleagues, family, and friends. Often, these devices alert the user to an event of interest by playback of some default audio preset, such as a simulated telephone ring noise to signal an incoming call, a beeping noise to signal an alarm timer, or a tone chime to indicate a new text message or voicemail. Video presets might also be used for a visual alert element, as modern phones with larger displays, faster processors and extended battery life gradually displace audio-only devices. These default alert presets, while functional and acceptable to some people, are often generic and lacking in flair. Users who wish to express their preferences and tastes will likely prefer to substitute different alert presets on topics that interest them.
In particular, short clips selected from popular music, television programs and movies have enjoyed considerable success, which are often sold to users for a small fee. However, there are still problems with this arrangement, as oftentimes the portion of the clip is not exactly the portion of the media sought, having been preset to the start of the clip or some other predetermined but unwanted section. Alternatively, the user may already have a copy of the desired media, but no convenient way to use it as an alert, thus leaving the user frustrated in having to pay multiple times for the same media. Although video and audio editing tools are available for savvy computer users to extract a desired segment, the majority of users will not want to endure the hassle of obtaining, learning, and using the editing software, as well as transferring the media file between the device and the computer. Furthermore, the software may incur additional purchasing costs for the user and may not be compatible with certain digital rights management (DRM) encrypted files.
Accordingly, there is a need to overcome the drawbacks and deficiencies in the art by providing a way for users to configure and playback easily customizable alert media.